this morning, the world wakes to the news that a giant of human and civil rights is gone. nelson mandela, a guiding force for millions, revered for ever changing history. >> recognize that apartheid has no future. >> he spent nearly three decades in prison, emerging to become the first black president of south africa. a father figure to his people and to millions around the globe. this morning, new reaction from every corner of the world. >> i cannot fully imagine my own life without the example that nelson mandela set. >> right now on "america this morning," abc news remembers nelson mandela, a man who changed the world. ♪

and good friday morning. people around the world are remembering nelson mandela. the global symbol of fore behrens, peace and dignity. >> here's a live picture from south africa, where people have been celebrating the former leader's life by dancing in the streets throughout the night. you see a large crowd gathering there right now. >> abc's alex marquardt is there in johannesburg, where they're still trying to come to grips with the death of an icon. >> reporter: a new day has dawned here in south africa. there's a profound sense of loss and mourning that's swept the entire country. what's really remarkable are celebrations like this one, right outside mandela's home that we've seen spring up around the country. south africans marking the passing of this great man by celebrating his life. it was just before midnight that south african president jacob zuma announced to the nation and

to the world, that nelson mandela had died. >> this is the moment of our deepest sorrow. our nation has lost its greatest son. >> reporter: tributes quickly poured in from around the world, including from president barack obama. >> we've lost one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth. >> reporter: that love, shown in the massive crowds that quickly gathered outside mandela's home and around the country. singing and dancing, joyfully celebrating the life of a man who gave so many hope and freedom. >> it's tragic. it's sad. i think we should celebrate what he has achieved and what he's given us. i wouldn't be here. i wouldn't be free, as i say, if it wasn't for him. >> reporter: south africa's first black president was surrounded by much of his family when he passed away. now, ten days of national mourning will start, during

which mandela will lie in state in the capital, pretoria, so south africans can say their final good-byes, before he's taken back to his ancestral village of qunu for burial. alex marquart, abc news, johannesburg. here at home, the u.s. paying its highest respects. >> president obama has given the order to fly u.s. flags at half-staff, saying mandela no longer belongs to us but to the ages. elsewhere across the nation, people of all walks of life are reacting to the news of nelson mandela's death. >> abc's tahman bradley has the latest from washington. >> reporter: tributes keep pouring in for the man that defeated south africa's brutal apartheid system. americans are paying their respects from indiana to harlem, new york, to brooklyn. >> he was so very strong. >> reporter: in washington, people gathered at mandela's statue outside the south african embassy. >> for me, it's a sense of my boys can have the opportunity to do a lot more things. >> reporter: president obama, attending a hanukkah reception last night at the white house, remembered mandela as a champion of human rights.

>> a moral giant who embodied the dignity and the courage and hope. and sought to bring about justice, not only in south africa, but i think inspire millions around the world. >> reporter: those millions, moved by mandela's long walk to freedom. imprisoned for 27 years. he became a global symbol of the fight against apartheid. from his tiny cell, mandela rallied millions against racism and injustice. in 1990, the south african government, under heavy pressure at home and from around the world, released mandela, and began dismantling apartheid. >> never again shall we be that this beautiful world will have the spirit, the oppression of one by another. >> reporter: south africa will hold a memorial service in a 90,000-seat stadium. the white house says president obama plans to attend. john and diana? >> tahman, president obama said

he was inspired by nelson mandela. what impact did mandela have on the president's life? >> reporter: huge impact. he met nelson mandela only once in 2005, when the president was a u.s. senator. but he says he studied nelson mandela's writings and works. the president said his first political action was attending an anti-apartheid rally. the president toured mandela's cell on robben island after he took office. and mrs. obama, michelle obama, along with her daughters, sasha and malia, they visited mandela, reading a book with him. and also talking with him. obviously, mandela, south africa's first black president, a huge inspiration to the u.s.'s first black president and his family. >> tahman bradley, live in washington for us this morning. thank you. you heard tahman reference that memorial service that will be held in a football stadium. it's just part of a logistical nightmare south african officials are now facing. >> in addition to the obamas,

it's likely that most of the other living u.s. presidents will travel to south africa. dozens of other high-level dignitaries will also attend. the events are being likened to organizing a world cup, plus an inauguration and a coronation, all at the same time. former president clinton was in office when nelson mandela took power. and their families became close. we will remember him as a man of uncommon grace and compassion. for whom abandoning bitterness was a way of life. mandela's two youngest daughters were in london at the time of his death, attending a premiere of a new film about his life. >> they left immediately after getting the news. but they asked the film be played to the end. the audience was told that mandela had died as the closing credits rolled. prince william was one of those watching the film. >> sad and tragic news. we're reminded what an extraordinary and inspiring man nelson mandela was. and my thoughts and prayers are with his family right now. >> british actor, idris elba, who played mandela in the film

was also at the event. and he said, quote, we have lost one of the greatest human beings to have ever walked this earth. still ahead, another big story we're watching closely. a severe blast of cold air. dangerous temperatures are gripping much of the country. we'll show you where it's heading next. along with all that ice and snow. and mourning madiba. much more on the death of nelson mandela, including the jail guard, with a remarkable story about helping the imprisoned leader.

welcome back.

a deep freeze is threatening the safety of nearly 200 million people across much of america this morning. >> the area especially hard-hit stretches from texas to the great lakes. the brutal conditions, bone-chilling temperatures and heavy accumulations of ice and snow. oklahoma, under a state of emergency. one of many southern-central states already crippled by treacherous conditions. in addition to ice and sleet, that area can expect up to six inches of snow, with temperatures colder than alaska. industrial-sized power generators are in place. and emergency shelters are stocked up. the best advice, stay indoors. stay off the roads. and parts of texas through arkansas and tennessee, will be under ice storm warnings throughout the day. stores across the region are running out of supplies. and the expected half-inch or more of ice will bring dangerous driving conditions and widespread power outages. accuweather meteorologist jim dickey is tracking all of it for us. good morning, jim. >> good morning, john and diana. staying frigid here across the northern plains, the upper midwest, into the rockies. many spots well down below zero. minus 4 this morning in

minneapolis. minus 12 in denver. minus 15 into pierre. as that cold filters off to the south and east, an area of ice and snow continues here. significant ice storm continues across arkansas, into portions of western kentucky, west tennessee, with heavy snow moving into the ohio valley and northeast. john and diana, back to you. >> jim, thank you. if you're flying, the list of possible airport delays is long. dallas, memphis, atlanta, charlotte, d.c., philadelphia, new york, boston, houston and new orleans. in other news, florida state quarterback jameis winston will not face sexual assault charges. the lead prosecutor says there's just too many gaps in the accuser's story. winston's a leading heisman trophy candidate. he will lead the number one seminoles in tomorrow night's acc title game. here's an airline pilo t's landing attempt you have to see to believe. this is an emirates airlines jet trying to land in fierce winds yesterday in birmingham, england. the captain tried to land twice. but both times he had to abort his attempts. he eventually had to fly to london and land there. the wild ride had one passenger

tweeting out, quote, never flying again. >> you look at that video. and that captain made the right choice. that nose is going another direction from the runway. >> coming in sideways. >> wow. >> yikes. when we come back, remembering nelson mandela. reactions are pouring in from celebrities about his passing. our special coverage, nelson mandela, a man who changed the world, continues. the value of your education is where it can take you. (now arriving city hospital.) which is why we're proud to help connect our students with leading employers across the nation. (next stop financial center.) let's get to work.

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♪ i want to be in the position of calling you to ask whether i would be welcome. the appeal therefore is, don't call me. [ laughter ] i'll call you. [ laughter ] >> nelson mandela showing his humorous side almost ten years

ago when he bowed out of public life. >> the public never got enough of him. and this morning, crowds still gathering outside of mandela's home in johannesburg. the former south african president dying yesterday at 95 years old. he is being remembered for his fight against apartheid and years in prison. a sacrifice that influenced millions, including president obama. >> today, he's gone home. we've lost one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will ever share time with on this earth. he no longer belongs to us. he belongs to the ages. >> there will be nearly two weeks of mourning in south africa. and nelson mandela will lie in state in pretoria until he is buried in his ancestral village. a very young robin roberts had the opportunity to meet nelson mandela's family. robin journeyed to south africa three years ago. and last night, she described her experience to diane sawyer on "world news." >> when i broke to graca machel, the woman he married on his 80th

birthday, and i asked her, what is her husband's legacy going to be? and she said, a visionary leader. and it is the quality, the quality of leadership. >> robin went on to say that mandela wanted to right the wrongs and give each one of us the feeling that we could do the same thing, too. >> mandela also showed the world the meaning of true forgiveness. by the time he walked out of prison, he had formed an unlikely bond with one of his jailers. abc's david muir explains. >> reporter: christo brand peers out over the water, to the former prison on robben island, where he first reported for duty at 18. >> they informed us we're going to meet the biggest criminals in the history of south africa. >> reporter: nelson mandela was nearly 60. already in prison for more than a decade. still forced to sleep on the floor. the young jailer's family was afrikaner, the party that supported apartheid. but when the young jailer met mandela, he met an elder who would treat the young white man

with respect. and the jailer would slowly offer the same in return. christo brand told us of one of winnie mandela's visits. and her request. >> she said, can i just show mandela from a distance? and i said, no. just leave the child. >> reporter: no children allowed. not even his precious new grandbaby. while she waited in a holding area, that jailer had secretly brought the baby to mandela. >> there were just tears coming out of his eyes. >> reporter: and no one ever knew? >> nobody knew. >> reporter: all of the isolating years on robben island, the prison guard said there was one view from the prison courtyard of the country nelson mandela loved. that was the top of table mountain here in capetown behind me. that mandela would look to this view, wondering if he'd ever be free. but mandela was always preparing for that day. he asked the jailer to teach him afrikaans, the language of the whites in power. there were essays and the red pen that corrected them.

on the day mandela was released, his speech was delivered in afrikaans. mandela famously said, if you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. if you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. >> that's what he did. that's what he strived for. that's what he loved for. that's what he fighted for while he was in prison, to have people live in peace. >> reporter: the jailer, who became a trusted friend, now remembering nelson mandela. >> incredible story there. he touched so many lives. talk show titan oprah winfrey also weighing in on mandela's passing. >> winfrey, who credits mandela as the inspiration behind her school for girls in south africa, said being in his presence was like sitting with grace and majesty at the same time. and she added, one of the great honors of my life was to be invited to nelson mandela's home, spend private time and get to know him. he was everything you've ever heard and more. humble and unscathed by bitterness. >> that is completely understandable. mandela once said sports has the power to change the world. >> the 1995 rugby world cup in south africa, mandela donned the

home team's jersey, which for generations had been linked only to white south africa. it was truly a moment of national reconciliation. >> tiger woods, among the major sports stars weighing in on mandela's death. woods and his father met mandela in 1998. >> he certainly had an impact on my life and my father. and that timeframe in which -- when he came out, could have -- the country could have fallen apart. it could have gone a lot of different ways. and he led it to where it's at now. and the world's going to miss him. >> mandela kept a low profile while south africa hosted soccer's 2010 world cup. his memorable appearance came before the final in johannesburg, when he was driven around the field amid a thunderous ovation. it would be mandela's last public appearance. >> that smile is so charming. isn't it? up next, the first lady on her one and only meeting with mandela. >> and how this event is playing out in social media, unlike any other before it.

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♪ i told him, you cannot imagine how important your legacy is to who i am, to who my husband is. and i just said, thank you. thank you. thank you. >> first lady michelle obama expressing the thoughts of so many when it comes to nelson mandela. >> many well-known others, of course, taking to social media

to have their say about him. abc's jim avila reports. >> reporter: nelson mandela made history in grainy black and white. but his death was fully covered by modern social media, approaching 4 million tweets in the first two hours after his death was announced. former president bill clinton posting this picture. a handshake and the words, i will never forget my friend, madiba. and on facebook, george w. bush, president mandela was one of the great forces for freedom and equality of our time. he bore his burdens with dignity and grace. and our world is better off because of his example. it's the type of worldwide experience that draws young and old, black and white, to share feelings. south african native actress charlize theron. my thoughts and love go out to the mandela family. rest in peace, madiba. you will be missed. but your impact on this world will live forever. director spike lee posted this picture with a simple message. and then, there's this one from

nasa. intergalactic reaction from the space shuttle, posting a picture of mandela's beloved south africa. and as crowds continue to gather in front of mandela's home, perhaps the day's most poignant message from mandela's own twitter account. death is something inevitable. when a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. a virtual memorial on social media. electronic good-byes for the man who brought the world together. jim avila, abc news, new york. well, those electronic good-byes are exploding across social media. newspapers, eulogizing the civil rights icon. >> some of this morning's notable headlines. britain's "daily mail," "death of a colossus." "new york times" calling him, "fighter, prisoner, president and symbol." south africa's "cape times" "1918-2013." and "the daily news," farewell, dear friend.

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live from the kgo-tv broadcast center this is abc7 news. >> good friday morning at 4:28. >> one of my favorite movies is "groundhog day" and it has been like that all week. >> now we need the snow and the insurance salesman, ned. >> sonny and cher. >> absolutely. check out the temperature in novato: 19 degrees! we are in the mid-20's in santa rosa and napa and upper 20's in san ramon. 30 in los gatos. near frost in san jose at 33 the same in conquer. 34 in fremont and san carlos and 34 in mountain view and hayward is 36. half moon bay at 33. san francisco is 43. we have chilled sunshine today with temperatures around 50 and we will have high clouds. that will be the beginning of

our rain and snow. guess who is back? >> good morning, everyone. happy friday. it is chilly. warm up the car before you head out to the roads. we have construction that could get in your way if you are headed to berkeley eastbound 80 traveling between powell and buchanan, a few lanes blocked off until 5:00. tracy to dublin, friday light with 23 minutes in westbound. antioch to concord is 15 minutes and 101 southbound from san rafael to san francisco is 16 minutes and outside into walnut creek, southbound 680 away from highway 4 to the 24 junction is empty at this hour. eric and kristen? >> the second morning of the freeze warning is re difficult to handle for the bay area. pipes are a casualty of the cold snap. amy hollyfield is in walnut creek. >> look behind me, here is a number we are not used to seeing

in the bay area, 29 degrees in walnut creek. it is too much for humans and pipes to handle. a large water main burst in martinez last night before 10:00 and it caused flooding at local businesses. they have turned off the water but what a mess. it is happening in homes, too, a woman learned the hard way the importance of covering up the pipes. >> i opened the curtains and i saw the water and i thought, well, it is not raining. >> the temperature was below 20 degrees in rohnert park so if you have to use towels to wrap up the types, better than nothing. leaving them exposed to cause you big problems. wrap color self up, too, it is freezing again this morning. you will need the big ode